We left Baotou very early for our flight to Beijing. We arrived a little before noon. Some people were leaving for home that day on the 4pm flight to Vancouver but I had opted to stay an extra day. I had two bags by this time so I decided to store my luggage at the airport and just bring my day pack into the city. That allowed me to take the train and avoid an expensive taxi. There was no way I was going to try to navigate the Beijing subway system with two heavy bags.
Lynette, John, Micheal and I were all heading to town so in the end we could have shared a taxi but no one thought of that in time. We took the train/subway. They all had luggage. Subways in China don't always have escalators, let alone elevators. So there was lots of hauling suitcases up and down stairs. But we made it.
I got off first and then I was on my own. Fortunately, I had navigated Beijing a bit when we had been there the week before and I managed to find my hotel without too much extra walking (but definitely some extra). I stayed at Citytel Inn. I found the cheapest room possible which didn't have a window and was directly across from the elevator but it was fine for what I wanted (to sleep there). Plus it came with cheap breakfast (which I also turned into carry-away lunch)
The hotel was very close to the Forbidden City. But first I had gotten off the subway on a shopping street, Wangfujing, so I headed back there to wander around. I didn't buy much but I spent a lot of time in a bookstore.
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| Mall on Wangfujing St |
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| Kid's section |
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| This is how they wrapped my purchases. |
Then back to the Silk Market to buy a few gifts for home. Any maybe a couple of things for me. The only picture I took there was of the dumpling place where I had dinner. Priorities, people.
Of course, by this time, my day pack was pretty full. It was raining when I got off the subway.
Back to the hotel for a good night sleep, no light, no people, just peaceful sleep.
Next morning I had planned to get up at the crack of dawn but since I couldn't see dawn without a window, I slept in. So, no early start to the Forbidden City. But I still had time for buffet breakfast (and lunch to go). I packed up everything, including my purchases and headed out.
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| Outside of the Forbidden City |
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| Just a few cameras keeping an eye on things. |
Forbidden city was very close to my hotel, one subway stop but I just walked there. It is huge. I went in and wandered around a bit, looking to see if there was a bag check. But first, I found a gift shop! So, yea, I bought a bag of stuff, including some bags. And a mug, a bulky mug.
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| My saleslady. I think she could sense the soon to be unusable Yuan in my pocket. |
I asked her where the bag check is and she said inside. INSIDE??!! I hadn't even gotten inside yet! Then I found the gate and actually managed to figure out how to buy a ticket and then back to the gate to enter. So, they really need to change the name because I think when a MILLION people are allowed into a place, it isn't exactly forbidden. But that's what I get for going on a Sunday. And being in a hurry because I had to be at the airport by 1pm or so for my 4pm flight home.
So, bag check. That in itself was an experience. It's free but comes with all sorts of conditions. No open bags. They wouldn't accept my shopping bag. I crammed as much as I could into my day pack but they also wouldn't let me leave my computer. So I had to carry my bulky mug and computer around with me. It wasn't that bad because I had a new bag for my camera so I could keep my hands free. But then they told me I had to pick my pack up at the exit at the other end of the walled city in two hours. What if I'm not there in two hours? Much confusion. Turns out, they drive it there and it won't be there before two hours but they keep it till closing. I didn't ask what happens at closing but now I am curious.
So, mostly bag-free, I headed in to the Forbidden City. Did I mention it is huge. There seems to be a main 'corridor' down the middle, with temples of course, and then more walled compounds/palaces off to the sides. I only ventured into one compound/palace, the garden of tranquility where I got completely lost. Here is a map if you can see it.
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| Lots of harmony according to the names, plus some peace, tranquility, benevolence, and righteousness. |
There were so many people in the centre. But after my time in tranquility, I realized I did not have time to diverge from the middle pathway to the exit.
Here are many pictures.
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| The entrance |
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| Aack, inside, so many people |
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| Off to the edges were much calmer |
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| The size of the people up top gives some perspective of how big this courtyard was. |
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| Tour groups would wear matching hats. |
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| Garden of Tranquility |
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| Statue Gallery |
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| Imperial Garde |
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| The exit |
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| Outside, across the moat |
Once I got outside, I realized I didn't really know where I was. So, I hopped in a taxi to take me to the subway. The guy wanted to charge me the equivalent of $40! Umm, no. I wasn't exactly sure where I was but I knew I wasn't that far from a subway. So, I got out in the middle of the road. But I had left my gift shop bag in the cab. So, there I am running down the middle of the road in Beijing after a moving taxi to retrieve a mug, a bulky mug. Fortunately, he had to stop for a red light so I got my bag back. Buddy didn't like me very much. Too bad, scammer.
Then a tuktuk (or whatever they are called in China) stopped and offered to take me for $5. Probably still a rip off but time was of the essence so I took it. I was literally counting my yuan at this point because I needed at least 30 for the subway and train. I had just enough.
My driver dropped me at some random stop on some random line but I mapped out my route and it was all good.
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| Beijing subway |
I got to the airport in time to get my bags out of storage, repack (it all still fit in my two bags, I'm that good!), get into the huge check in line, then the huge security line, then the huge immigration line and to the gate where I found Michael waiting. We had a little visit and then it was onto the plane. Eat, movie, sleep, drink, sleep, eat, arrive.
Our flight was a bit late and immigration was a lot busy so we both missed our connection to Victoria. But Val waited for me and took me home and watched show and tell of all my purchases and gifts with Chris. And I went to bed and slept all of the next day and went to work the day after that.
And that is the end.
